


As the World Explodes Around Us

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Blankets, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fireworks, Fourth of July, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-07 12:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1899621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus and Alec and fireworks.</p><p>Cuddles ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As the World Explodes Around Us

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 4th of July! I meant to post this a lot earlier and got distracted with other things throughout the day, but it's still the 4th, so here it is~

Alec wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his arms through his sweatshirt. It was unnaturally cool for the time of year, prompting a sweatshirt instead of a t-shirt, and he was wondering if it would look too weird to have a jacket on while the fireworks lit up the sky. He decided that, yes, it probably would be, so he just rubbed his arms through his sleeves and narrowed his eyes in thought towards the sky.

The sky was darkening tone by tone, turning a smoky blue followed by a murky one, and then it would eventually settle into navy-black. The fireworks would be starting soon.

He wasn't entirely sure why he was out here. He enjoyed fireworks as much as the next person and there was no better view for miles, but while Isabelle had flounced away with Simon and Jace always with Clary, Alec again had a thought: was it weird to watch the fireworks alone?

Magnus had had a job today. Something about a werewolf managing to get a curse cast on him by another warlock and he wouldn't stop running around in the flesh, howling at the moon. Magnus had called it a young warlock's excuse of a prank and sauntered off with an eyeroll, which had been soured by the fact that he was missing out on the festivities for something so stupid.

Alec shivered again, drawing his legs up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them and rest his chin on his knees, closing his eyes. He supposed that he'd skip out on the party afterwards. There was a massive one, ochestrated mostly by Jace and Izzy, going on down the hill, where the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers and charred food wafted up to Alec gently. Right now, it was tame, with food and drinks and chatting, but after the fireworks ended, Alec suspected that they would kick it up a notch and sometimes the best laid plans of a rambunctious sister were better left alone.

Jace and Clary and Simon were throwing a glowing frisbee around down the hill. Alec opened his eyes as he heard Jace shout, in time to watch his _parabatai_ dive for the disc. He missed it, but the faceplant he did into the grass was wholly worthy of attention, which it got, by Simon bursting into laughter and Clary running over to see if he was okay. Alec rolled his eyes fondly; Jace never changed.

A loud _boom_ snapped Alec's attention back to the sky. There was a collective gasp as red and white filled the sky, a thousand sparks forming the fireworks that capped off their holiday. The imprint of the bright against the dark burned into Alec's eyes. He blinked and saw the afterimage and then opened his eyes again to see the remains of the firework drifting into smoke.

"Impressive."

Alec jumped and looked behind him. Magnus stood a few feet away, his hair a wild mess and his chest rising and falling quickly through the thin white shirt plastered with stars and stripes. His eyes were looking at the sky, but they moved down to meet Alec's gaze with a soft smile.

"You made it."

"I ran," Magnus said seriously, walking the last few feet over to him and plopping next to him.

Alec broke into a smile. "You're sweating."

" _You're_ cold," Magnus replied, slipping his hand over to rub at a patch of goosebumps near Alec's wrist. He snapped his fingers, but Alec lost interest: there was another _boom_ and more fireworks shot into the sky.

They were just fading when a soft, heavy blanket landed around his shoulders. He almost jumped again, looking back at Magnus. His fingers inched up to the blanket, curling into its soft, warm plush, and he pulled it tighter. "Where's this from?"

"My bedroom," Magnus replied smoothly, wrapping it around both of their shoulders before looking back at the fireworks.

"Oh." Alec pulled it closer. It smelled like sandalwood, or maybe that was just Magnus. He looked back at the fireworks, too.

Colours of red and green and purple lit up the sky, reflected in Magnus's eyes when Alec glanced at him from the corner of his eye. The slitted green-gold eyes trained on the sky next to him were full of excitement, his body thrumming next to his with something Alec couldn't identify. Excitement, awe, happiness. Alec felt all of those himself, anyway. Maybe that was why he projected them onto Magnus.

Magnus hummed. He leaned over and put his arm around Alec, yawning widely.

"Magnus," Alec muttered.

Magnus turned his cat-eyes on him. "What?"

Alec could have argued. He could have, but he didn't want to. They'd already come out to the Clave, come out to practically the whole world. He felt too good to argue about PDA right now. Instead, he just leaned into Magnus's embrace. "Nothing."

Magnus fixed the blanket and leaned his head against Alec's. "Good."

No, he couldn't argue with this. Not when Magnus's arm was a pleasant warmth around his shoulders, not when the blanket was trapping their body heat and the smell of sandalwood and lingering hamburger and hot dogs, not when the sky was lit with a multitude of colours that made the night blaze with beauty.

Magnus turned his head. His nose bumped Alec's cheek and then his lips brushed over it.

Alec felt his face flush and he frowned, leaning away to look at Magnus.

"What?" Magnus asked.

"Uh..." Alec searched Magnus's eyes. Pure gold with the hint of green, full of mischievousness and secrets buried deep and _adoration_. "... Nothing," he said, repeating himself, turning his gaze back to the sky.

"Uh huh." Magnus leaned his head against Alec's again, his fingers slipping down to brush against the back of Alec's hand. "You sure like to say ‘nothing’ a lot."

"Quiet," Alec murmured, flipping his palm up to grip at Magnus's hand beneath the blanket. "I'm trying to watch the fireworks."

Magnus laughed quietly, his breath a warm puff smelling like Chai tea. "Yeah," he said shortly, turning his attention back to the fireworks as well.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own _The Mortal Instruments_ because it is owned by Cassandra Clare.  
>  Thanks for reading!


End file.
